Sunrisers restrict Mumbai Indians to 129/4

Mohammed Shafeeq

1 May 2013

Hyderabad, May 1 (IANS) Mumbai Indians have set a modest target of 130 for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Wednesday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Mumbai Indians scored 129 for four wickets in 20 overs on a slow pitch with Dwayne Smith being the highest scorer with 38 off 40 balls.

It was once again a good show by Sunrisers bowlers, who restricted the visitors to under-130. Looking for fourth consecutive victory at home, Sunrisers bowlers bowled with discipline and not allowed the powerful Mumbai batting a free run.

Ishant Sharma was impressive with figures of 4-1-15-2 while Amit Mishra, already one of the leading wicket takers in the tournament, claimed two for 34.

It was unbeaten 50-run partnership (off 44 balls) for the fifth wicket between Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard which saw Mumbai posting a respectable total after they were reduced to 74 for three in 13th over.

Local boy Ambati Rayudu played a fine inning of 34 off 27 balls, which included four boundaries. Pollard was unbeaten on 14 off 19 balls.

Smith hit very first ball of the innings bowled by leggie Karan Sharma for four over the bowler's head to make his intentions clear. He also hit both the sixes of Mumbai Indians innings including the one off a free-hit in the third over bowled by Ishant Sharma.

Sachin Tendulkar hit Steyn of two successive boundaries in his second over, the fourth of the inning. However, Tendulkar (14 off 12) did not last long. In the very next over, Ishant Sharma uprooted the wickets to a beauty, which sneaked through the gap between the bat and pad.

Ishant gave another breakthrough in the same over when he had Dinesh Karthik caught at point. The visitors were reduced to 32 for two in the fifth over.

Joining Smith, skipper Rohit Sharma not only rebuilt the inning but also gave momentum to the scoring. Smith got a life in the 11th over when Ishant could not hold on to a catch on long-off fence.

After 10 overs, Mumbai Indians were 60 for two. Smith and Rohit added 42 off 44 balls for the third wicket before Rohit Sharma (22 off 22) mistimed a shot off Amit Mishra and handed out an easy catch to Ishant at long-off.

Like in many other matches in this tournament, Amit Mishra struck for the second time in the over to remove Smith, who was adjudged leg before. The visitors were struggling at 79 for four in 13th over.

Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayudu did not find the going easy. The bowlers did not allow them to free their arms. The batsmen had to toil hard and the boundaries were not coming easily. Only the last over bowled by Thisara Perera could yield four hits to the fence.